Comments on: Thankful For the Active Obedience of Christ

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:03:06 +0000

Hello,

I agree, the Atonement was due to the breaking of God’s Law (Heb 9:15), but that is precisely why having a demand to keep the Law perfectly doesn’t make sense. The Law is abolished, and breaking it is atoned for. As for Matthew 3:15, I think you are misunderstanding the situation. It was a Theophany, marking a formal start of Jesus’ public ministry. The Righteousness here is God’s plan of deliverance unfolding (e.g. Jer 33:14-17).

By: Robin Westerfield

Robin Westerfield — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:14:24 +0000

Nick, you are certainly correct that salvation from sin came through the death and resurrection of Christ. But what did His atonement save us from? Obviously it is the breaking of God’s law. In order to be made perfect forever as children of God, we needed to perfectly keep the law. Christ’s fulfillment of the law in His life on earth was in our stead, so that God can receive us not only as those whose sins are atoned for, but as perfect keepers of the law in Christ. Recall His exchange with John when coming to him for baptism in Matt 3: “Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.” Why did Jesus say this and why was He baptized when He didn’t need to be? He was completely righteous.

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:06:43 +0000

Hello,

Thank you for those links, I have not read them yet.

In response to your second post:

Yes, Christ fulfilled the law at every point in His life, but that record is nowhere said to be imputed nor is it required for salvation. In Galatians 2:21, Paul says if righteousness came by the law, then Christ died for nothing – note the contrast of keeping the law versus Christ dying; not keeping it in our place.

By: David Westerfield

David Westerfield — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:49:05 +0000

Here are a few excerpts from what they and their descendants have to say concerning the subject.

Calvin: http://heidelblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/calvin-on-christs-active-obedience/

John Gill: http://www.pbministries.org/books/gill/Doctrinal_Divinity/Book_5/book5_03.htm

On the Distinction between Christ’s “Passive” and “Active” Obedience: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/05/15/on-distinction-between-christs-passive/

Entire section of Monergism.com on the subject: http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Justification/Active/Passive-Obedience-of-Christ/

By: David Westerfield

David Westerfield — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:36:50 +0000

Did Christ not fulfill the law at every point in His life, from beginning to end? Is not the entire record of His perfect life lived credited to our account by the imputation of His righteousness to our account? What you are asserting defies what the reformers clearly laid out and articulated from Scripture. I would ask you to consult what they said concerning what Scripture clearly says.

By: Nick

Nick — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:41:43 +0000

Thank you for this quote from Grudem. Unfortunately, it seems theological presumptions are controlling his exegesis, causing him to read unBiblical concepts into the text.

No mention is made of Christ’s Active Obedience – in regards to us needing it for ourselves – in Scripture. Key justification texts like Romans 3:21-26 make no mention of anything except Christ’s death being necessary for God to be “just and justifier”.

The Power of the Cross is all we need for salvation:
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor 1:23)